Fw 190 with a passenger

[Scott Rose]

I saw in this months Aeroplane Monthly a reference to the fact that on occasion when Fw 190s were forward deployed, one of the ground crew would ride IN the tail. He would climb in the radio accesshatch.

My question was how common was this done and was it done with other aircraft types?

[O.P.]

I know that all of the 190's leaving the Courland pocket to escape the Russians and surrender to the British and Americans, Had the planes crew chief in the radio area. I think it was mostly only done in emergencies. I think I've read that one even had three people in it. Two in the seat, one in the radio area......

[Ollie]

They did that in Sicily too.

Check the Squadron Signal book, I think there's a picture of a guy in the radio compartment.


Or was it the Nowarra book?

[O.P.]

My favorite series of pictures like that were, A kid Stuka pilot, also leaving Courland, I think. He flies a JU-87 into a British controled airfield. He had his crew chief,mechanic, and his girlfriend in the plane. The final pictures show the english soldiers and the kid shaking hands and smiling for the cameras.

On the radio compartment thing, I think you had to take the radios out to get the other person in there, so its kind of a last ditch thing.

[Ollie]

Neat!

Any chance you could scan it for us?

[bdk]

I saw in this months Aeroplane Monthly a reference to the fact that on occasion when Fw 190s were forward deployed, one of the ground crew would ride IN the tail. He would climb in the radio accesshatch.

My question was how common was this done and was it done with other aircraft types?

Hmmm... Sounds like a good recipe for carbon monoxide poisoning!

[O.P.]

The last page, 117, of "Osprey Aviation Elite 6- JG 54 Grunherz" John Weal, describes them removing the radios and loading the Crew chief and leaving Courland. Page 84 of Fw-190 aces of the russian front,John Weal, has a picture of the radio hatch off and someone inside. Looks very nasty.

I've been looking for the pictures of the J-87 and it's many passengers, but I can't find in my books or magazines, it must have been on one of the Luftwaffe sites on the internet, I gotta find that again......

[TimAPNY]

I think the risks of getting that ride were FAR less then being captured by the Reds.

[Scott Rose]

I think the risks of getting that ride were FAR less then being captured by the Reds.

True, but still seems rather dangerous, both for the pilot and the passenger. CG must have been a little wonky.

[Marcus Wendel]

Very interesting examples, I did not know that was done.

My favorite series of pictures like that were, A kid Stuka pilot, also leaving Courland, I think. He flies a JU-87 into a British controled airfield. He had his crew chief,mechanic, and his girlfriend in the plane. The final pictures show the english soldiers and the kid shaking hands and smiling for the cameras.

I'd like to see those photos.

/Marcus

[O.P.]

I found it! Here it be!

http://fw190.hobbyvista.com/Kitzingen.htm

I was full of krap on the number of passengers on the ju-87....maybe I read that one somewhere else and got the two confused, but the "Stuka Girl" is still a good story.

[Fratricide]

I found it! Here it be!

http://fw190.hobbyvista.com/Kitzingen.htm

I was full of krap on the number of passengers on the ju-87....maybe I read that one somewhere else and got the two confused, but the "Stuka Girl" is still a good story.

WOW! Interesting bits of history those are. I was surprised though that the Fw190's RC was not smaller. That top pictures shows him "leisurely" getting out of the aircraft. Well, maybe not leisurely but I don't see crowbars or anything!